


I find it hard to come up with words to describe my time with a family like this one. I’ll try anyway, but I think the pictures will do better.
Raising three kids in the city is not easy, and doing so in a way that gives them a connection to nature and a true sense of independence is even more of a challenge. This family of five lives near Ocean Beach in San Francisco. The beach is their playground, their sanctuary, and where their kids find a growing sense of freedom.
We wanted to capture their typical weekend morning – coffee and pastries at Andytown on Taraval Street, a walk down to the Ocean Beach dunes, and shoes off splashing around in the cold Pacific Ocean.
I did almost no directing during this session, and mostly stood back and observed. The whole family – kids and parents alike – were at once close and loving and ready to jump off the dunes and get sandy.
There were a thousand tender moments amidst the beautifully wild ones. My hope is that I captured a few that will help them remember what it felt like in this short season of their lives.

I’m David, and I photograph Bay Area families that are super proud of where they live. My easygoing presence puts everyone at ease, and I focus on candid emotion and moments of connection. No posing, no stress.
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Try my article – The 6 Best Places for Family Photos in Marin